Eating instrument compact



EATING INSTRUMENT COMPACT Filed April 26, 1928 Patented July 14, 19311,814,547

UNITED STTES PATENT OFFICE.

ALBAH B. EDWARDS, OF ABILENE, TEXAS EATING INSTRUMENT COMPACTApplication filed April 26, 1928. Serial No. 273,027.

This invention relates to eating instrularly to Figs. 1 to 6 inclusive,l designates ments and has for its object to provide a a knife having ahandle 11, and a blade 12 novel compact comprising a fork, a knife,which is preferably made of sheet metal in and a spoon in selectedcombinations and tegral with the handle. The blade is offset adapted foruse by campers, picnickers, at 13 to provide a shoulder against which 55soldiers, boy scouts, and others; and which the handle of a companioninstrument abuts may be safely carried in the side pockets of. when thetwo instruments are telescoped. automobiles, in the pockets or belt of aper- A fork 14 having a prong member 15 and son, and in other placeswhere ordinary a hollow handle 16 is preferably made of eatinginstruments can not be safely carried. sheet metal in n i a d the ron 60Another object of the invention is to promember is offset from thehandle to form vide an eating instrument compact comprisa shoulder 17against which the knifehaning a plurality of eating instruments made dle11 abuts when the knife and fork are of sheet metal and shaped totelescope one telescoped, Fig. .4. The prong member is 15 within theother into a small, convenient bowed, as at 18, Fig. 4;, which is usualwith 65 and secure compact, which can be easily the ordinary type offork. packed or stored, and transported. The knife and fork are eachmade from a Another object of the invention is to prosingle piece ofsheet metal, the handles bevide a compact combining two eating in ing intubular form with the edges of the 20 struments each having a handle anda workmetal abutting at n id 19, Th ut r ing part, the working partsadapted to teleend of the handle may be left open, at'20, scope in thehandles, and the handles having to allow a ext i h dl or th bj t openouter ends to receive extension handles 21 t b ins rt d ther i for ting0 whereby the instruments may be used for broiling purposes, or wherevera long han- 25 roasting or broiling. purposes, or W e dled instrument isuseful or desirable. The a long handled instrument is useful or dei n rend f the handl where it joins the sirable. prong member or blade, isopen, at 22.

And a further Ob]60l1 of the inventlon 18 This construction allows themembers to be to provide a compact prising a P v 0f thoroughly washedand cleaned and permits 30 eating instruments h Y g & Worklngcirculation of air through both of the mempart adapted to telescopewlthin the handle berg h th are t l d th b of the other part, and anadditional instruiding a sanitary eating compact. ment formed in one orboth of the handles. I Fj 7 d 8 I h Shown th h dl The p y g i gIllustrates a of one instrument indented at its outer end 35 selectedembodiment of the invention and as i di t d t 23 nd Curved on it OPPO-the views are as follows: site side as at 24 to provide the spoon 25.Fig. 1 1S a plan f of the p c This end of the handle may also be spreadFig. 2 1s a plan view of one of the lnstruor b l d t rdly at a h id asat 26, ments. to provide a spoon wider than the handle of 40 Fig. 3 is aplan view of another instruth other m mber. ment partly in section. Inthis manner I am able to provide three Fig. 4: is a longitudinalsectional view on members incorporated into two single pieces the hne4l4l of Fig. 1. which may be telescoped and easily carried Figs. 5 and 6are transverse sectional about as a single unit. By offsetting and viewson the l1nes 5 5 and 6 6 of Fig. 4. shouldering the instruments as shownand Flg. 7 1s a longltudinal sectlonal new of described, I am able toprovide the fork the compact shown in Fig. 8. with an arch like ordinaryforks, which is I Fig. 8 1s a plan vlew showing a modificadesirable, andthis is accomplished without t1on. enlarging the handle designed toreceive the 50 Referring to the drawings, and particuprong member. we

I have provided a compact of small size and convenient shape andcomprising two or more eating instruments, which can be easily andsafely carried or packed for stor- 5 age or shipment. The parts of thecompact are securely telescoped so that they will not rattle while beingtransported. The sharp parts of the instruments are wholly protectedwithin the handles so that they Will not be damaged or cause damage whennot in use. The construction is of particular importance because itpermits water to circu late through the handle and about all parts ofthe instruments to enable them to be thoroughly cleansed, and when theinstruments are telescoped air may circulate through the compact to keepit in a fresh and sanitary condition.

I am aware that changes may be made in the form, construction andarrangement of the parts without departing from the scope or spirit ofthe invention, and I reserve the right to make all such changes asfairly fall within the scope of the following claims:

I claim:

1. An eating instrument compact comprising an instrument having a handleindented at its outer end and curved on its opposite side to provide aspoon bowl, and a handle 3 carrying an instrument with a bowed termination, the first named instrument being 1 6- ceivable within the handleof the last-named instrument, with the bowed termination nesting withinthe handle of the first named instrument in opposed relation to thecurvature of the spoon.

2. An eating instrument compact comprise ing an instrument having ahandle indent: ed at its outer end and curved on its opposite side toprovide a spoon bowl, and a handle carrying an instrument with a bowedtermination, the first-named instrument being receivable within thehandle of the lastnamed instrument, with the bowed termina-v tionnesting within the handle of the firstnamed instrument in opposedrelation to the curvature of the spoon, the handles being provided withoppositely-disposed offsets and shoulders.

ALRAH B. EDW'ARDS.

